Second homeowners along the South Jersey shore are keeping an eye on this one. County-wide property tax assessments could provide relief for what some believe are unfair property taxes.
Will Atlantic County start a countywide property-tax assessment program? Some local legislators hope so. So does County Exec Denny Levinson. Second home owners in Margate, Ventnor, Brigantine and other South Jersey coastal communities certainly do.
The proposed legislation (Bill A-546) sponsored by Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo, is now moving to the next step: the Appropriations Committee. The money people. The funding source to get it started.
Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson supports county-wide assessments.
Atlantic County Freeholders Frank Formica and John Risley are opposed to the bill. So are most tax assessors through-out the county.
If the bill is adopted into law, Atlantic County could save money by no longer paying the cost of tax assessing, revaluations and dealing with tax appeals.
If passed, the plan would get rid of municipal assessors within three years. They would be replaced by a county assessor and associated staff. The county assessor would be appointed by the county executive.